Improvement in electric letter-boxes



W. H. RODGERS. Electric Letter-BOX.

Patented April 8, 1879.-

WMZ

WILLIAM H. nonsens, or BnooKLYN, Assiettes 'ro MCLAUGHLIN BROTHERS, 0F NEW YORK, n.iY.

isrnn S'rnrns PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC LETTER-BOXES.

lspecification forming part of Letters PatentNo. 214,007, dated Apri-l 8, 1879;l application I' July 3l, 1878. Y

d To itill whom it concern:

Be it known that I, Wmtmn H. Ron'enns, of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes,

Y of which the following is a specification:

out my invention.

In the annexed drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 represents an electric annunciator, which is connected with a battery in any suitable way,

land is located at the place or room or oice at which the annunciation is. desired. Fi g. 2 represents a vertical cross-section of the letterbox, which is connected by proper conducting wires with. the aforesaid annunciator, and is situated at the door of the buiiding or the des'iredsuitable place convenient for the lettercarrier to deposit or drop the letters relatively. Fig. 3 is a top View of the same, the top shown removed to exhibit the working parts under it. Fig, 4 is a vertical sectioir of the'same, the section taken in line with and through the letter-slot of it.

In the annunciator, A represents the bell; B, ,thehammer and armature; G, the helices, and D the conductingwires. Said annunciator may be of any known and suitable construction adaptable for the purpose.

In the' letter-box, E represents the door, and Fthe body, of the box, and in its top G is the letter-slot G', through which the letters are inserted into the box, and the several operati ing parts which cause the annunciator to work orring are located under the top of the 'box 1n its top part, andeonsist ina horizontallyllcated spring-lever, H, and a balance-nap, I

and a vertical pawl or hook, J, acting between said lever and flap. Said lever H is Vbent, and has two arms, K and L, of which the ann K'is'pressed against the doorE by the employment ot' the spring M, whichis' attached on the arm L with oneend', and attached tothe top of the box by means 'of a screw or eye, N, 'on' its opposite end. The pivot O of said lever is secured in the top of thebox,

which has also a stop-pin, P, projecting from it to stop the lever from turning unduly. The flap I turns upon the stud Q, which is secured in the back ot' the box, and said flap extends across the letterslot G. 'Rothe hub of the same is-attached a balance arm- ,or weight, lt, and also a short arm' or stop-finger, S, opposite the hook J, so aste counterbalance the iiap I, so that said ilap is' lightly pressed up toward the letter-slot, but may be readily depressed .bythe insert-inn of a letter er card, in consequence of which said flap is turned out ofthe way to pass the letter intothe box. A small stop-block, T, is employed to come in contact with the extreme end of the flap and prevent it from rising above level position. The hook J is suspended on the fulcrum-stud U, which latter is also secured in the back of the box; and the top end ot said hookfJ is made with a small upward-projecting tail, j, which is op erated by contact with the extreme end of the arm L'of the lever H, and the bottom end of -said hook engages the stop or finger S of the flap as soon as thesameis caused to turn from under by the insertion of a letter. -The stud U ot' said hook is connected with the positive or one of the poles of the battery and with the annunciator aforesaid bythe wire and the stud Q of the iap with the negative or opposite pole by the wire Z, so that `by contact of said hookv with saidv finger the electric current is closed, and by their separation said current is broken, so that as soon aseI letter is deposited and insertedthrough the slot G'.

in the box the tlap I is. turned down, as shown in dotted line in Fig. 2. Its finger Sis there-V by raised, and in consequence the hook J is, by its weight, allowed to pass with its hook end under the finger S, and the electric cnr- 'rent thereby closed, and the annunciator is. caused to ring; but as soon as the box is opened the arm K is allowed to turn outward, as shown in dotted line in Fig. 3, and the arm L of the lever H presses the tail j and causes the hook to turn oi from engagement of .its

' bottom end with the finger of the flap, thereby allowing the tia-p to turn up for a succeeding operation, and breaking the current and stopping' the annuncator to ring.

ciators, as it may be most convenient for the specific use of the invention.

The contrivztncev for breakin g' und closing the electric current between 'the ennuncietor' und box by the' insertionof the letter and by the opening of the door of theboxnutomatically may be varied and substituted and modi,-

ed. v v

`Whet I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-4 The letter-box provided with the flap I, with i its finger S,'the hook J, andspring-lever H,

the slot G', eind,v door E,-i n combination with the an nunciaitor arranged to operate automatiL cally in manneryaid fr the purpose substantially as herein described antlshown.

In witness whereof 'lhereuntoj set my handv this 26th 'day of July, l15578.

H. RODGERS.'

WILLIAM In presence of-' WM. BROWN,

WM. H. Boneless, Jr.' 

